It is rare that an informed and discerning theatergoer can come away from
a brand new musical completely satisfied, but in the case of Summer of
'42, currently playing at the Victoria Theatre in Dayton, OH, there is
very little with which to find fault. Dayton audiences should consider
themselves lucky to receive an opportunity to see this show (instead of the
show it replaced, the delayed national tour of The Sound of Music
with Barry Williams). Summer of '42 is a thoroughly delightful,
well-constructed, and wonderfully executed musical comedy.

Based on the 1971 film of the same name, Summer of '42 focuses on
the coming-of-age of three teenage boys staying on a Maine island for the
summer during World War II. The boys set out to learn and experience all
they can about love and sex, with the object of the boys' curiosity being
three teenage girls. The young ladies, in addition to being the embodiment
of temptation and frustration for the boys, serve effectively as a Greek
chorus, often commenting on the times and plot developments throughout the
evening. At the center of the story is young Hermie, who, in addition
to being distracted by one of the younger girls, has also been befriended by
a beautiful young war bride named Dorothy. The relationship of the teenager
and this gorgeous married woman is the source of a great deal of humor, but it is
also an opportunity to tug at one's heartstrings.

Director Gabriel Barre, composer and lyricist David Kirshenbaum, and book
writer Hunter Foster have constructed an entertaining feast for one's eyes,
ears, and heart. The score is an effective mix of styles - 1940s big band swing and
contemporary musical theater - featuring some strong melodies and one of
the better uses of sung dialogue (with hilarious results) in quite some
time. The book is strong, taking the best parts of the film and adding in
other twists and turns that always satisfy. The dialogue is very witty,
natural, and funny. The audience is given ample reason to laugh throughout
the evening. Mr. Barre again proves to be an effective and creative
storyteller. His efforts earlier this year in the Off-Broadway production
of The Wild Party were highly praised and his work here is likewise
deserving. Mr. Barre will be directing the upcoming national tour of
Cinderella starring Eartha Kitt and Deborah Gibson and it will be
interesting to see if he can capture such magic three times in a single
year. A beautiful set design and good lighting add to the
effectiveness of the piece as well.

One of the top assets of this production is its cast. The
nine-character ensemble is near perfect. As the war bride, Tony nominee
Idina Menzel (Rent, The Wild Party) provides a subtle and
moving portrayal of this lonely, yet hopeful young woman. Ms. Menzel is
known for her powerhouse voice, but the songs here do not allow her to use
her instrument to its full extent. However, she does very well with the
material, including the show's two big ballads, and demonstrates that she is
an accomplished actress, in addition to being a strong singer. Hermie's
two young friends provide much of the comic relief of the evening and are
convincingly played by Brett Tabisel (Tony nominee for Big) and Jason
Marcus. The trio of teenage girls is also very funny as portrayed by Celia
Keenan-Bolger, Megan Walker, and Jeanne Goodman. Bill Kux and Matt
Farnsworth are effective as well in smaller roles. The evening, however,
belongs to Ryan Driscoll as Hermie. This young actor perfectly captures the
innocence, exuberance, and awkwardness of youthful adolescence. His
attractive tenor, versatile and endearing delivery of lines, and natural
comic timing should be the envy of many adult performers. Summer of
'42 focuses on Hermie's feelings about growing up and his attempt to
realize his dreams through Dorothy, and the show is in good hands with young
Mr. Driscoll.

Dayton is the second stop for this musical, and the 1,200 seat Victoria
Theatre is the perfect fit for the show. Summer of '42 comes
directly from The Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut, where it was
carefully developed. While there are no concrete plans for the show
following the Dayton run, there is hope for a production in New York in the
future. It is unfortunate that Mr. Driscoll and some of the others
may have out-grown their characters by then. This musical is very deserving
of a continued life with the current cast. It is a true crowd-pleaser, and
professionally executed in every way. If you have the chance to see this
wonderful piece of musical theater, get to Dayton before October 22.